The invention relates to a device for monitoring the state, in particular the state of health, of mammals, in particular useful farm animals, which suck on a teat.
For example, in modern calf breeding it is imperative that the condition of the breeding animals is determined continuously. DE 197 10 342.1, for example, discloses a device and a method for the automatic registration of the body temperature of useful farm animals, with an alarm function, a temperature sensor being integrated into the teat of the milk drinking trough.
In practice, however, various difficulties have arisen in this case. Firstly, the temperature sensors are bitten by the animals, for which reason they have to be safely protected without the measured values or the measuring times being impaired. In many cases, the animals do not always take the teat and therefore the temperature sensor completely into the mouth either, so that the measured results are falsified here, too. Falsification of the measured results also occurs because of the drinking-trough medium itself and because of entrained air. If, for example, the milk is very warm, the temperature of the milk is determined, but not the body temperature of the animal.
In many cases, the times for reliable measurements are also too short.
Accordingly, it is the principle object of the invention to provide a device of the aforementioned type by means of which the overall condition of the suckling mammal can be determined.
The foregoing object is achieved by assigning the teat of a suckling mammal to extendable sensors for determining values such as conductivity measurement, temperature values of animal and/or foodstuff, pH determination, gas measurement from gullet, stomachs.
In the stomachs of calves, digestion takes place, for example, as a result of which gas, for example methane and ketoses, are produced. A determination of these gases permits conclusions to be drawn about the state of health of the animal.
In order that measurements of this type can be made, the sensors should be located on automatically extendable, endoscope-like probes which, during suckling, can be inserted into the mouth cavity, and even into the gullet and into the stomach.
In a simpler exemplary embodiment it is also possible to equip part of the device as a breath extractor hood which is fitted with gas extraction elements, via which the breath from the animal can be fed to a measuring device. Even the breath on its own, with the gas contained in the breath, permits conclusions to be drawn about the state of health of the animal.
When monitoring the condition of a mammal, it appears to be important in principle that the teat does not differ too much in terms of its temperature from the body temperature of the mammal. In the event of too high a difference, otherwise measured results could be falsified by a certain temperature shock. For this reason, provision is made, according to the present invention, for the teat to be at least partly heated.
A further important part of the present invention relates to determining the body temperature of the suckling mammal. From the body temperature, conclusions can be drawn about the condition of the mammal, in particular whether it has a fever, is exposed to stress situations or the like.
DE-197 10 342.1 A1 has already disclosed the practice of assigning temperature sensors to the teat. In the preferred exemplary embodiment, both a device for heating the teat and at least one temperature sensor are integrated in the teat. By means of the two devices, the temperature of the teat is preferably brought to a temperature which is slightly below the body temperature of the mammal. If, for example, the body temperature is 40xc2x0 C, then the teat temperature should be about 38.5xc2x0 C. This avoids the teat being heated to the temperature of the mammal only when the latter is drinking, if at all, which takes some time. By means of the present method according to the invention, the temperature sensor is able to react better and more accurately even to slight temperature differences.
In a preferred exemplary embodiment, the foodstuff, in particular the milk, is also to be reheated in the area of the teat. This can be carried out in the automatic drinking machine, upstream of the suckling point or in the suckling point itself. It would be desirable to set the milk temperature likewise to a temperature slightly below the body temperature of the mammal since, as a result, no fluctuations occur in or on the teat which cannot be attributed to the body temperature of the mammal.
In a further exemplary embodiment, the temperature sensors can be arranged at a greater distance from the actual teat part, in order that the determination of the temperature is not falsified by the temperature of the drinking medium. For this purpose, the obvious course is to provide the teat with a broadened base part, the base part being configured from high-strength material. By means of this broadened base part, the entrainment of air is prevented.
The configuration of the teat from, preferably, two parts, namely the broadened base part and an actual teat part plugged into the broadened base part, permits the actual teat part, which is configured to be softer than the base part, can be designed to be interchangeable. By this means, costs can be saved.
In order that the animals preferably take the teat completely into the mouth, and the ambient air does not cool down the temperature sensors too severely, the base part is preferably also preheated. In this case, the preheating temperature is also slightly below the body temperature here, so that during suckling the body temperature of the animal is reached more quickly and more reliably at the temperature sensors. By this means, the measurement times are shortened and more usable measurements are achieved.
If the animal takes the teat into the mouth entirely, the tip of the teat also conducts the drinking medium into the gullet at the same time, so that the temperature of the drink does not impair the measured results. In addition, thought is given to interrupting or restricting the supply of drink during the measurement operations.
Otherwise, it is preferable for a plurality of probes and sensors to be provided at various points of the teat. Therefore, erroneous measurements resulting from drink and/or air taken in are avoided, in conjunction with appropriate data evaluation.
In addition, it has proven to be advantageous in the present invention to insert the sensors, heating devices, temperature sensors or the like into the teat only after or during the uptake of foodstuff by the animal from the teat, in order that the animal is not distracted from suckling by the components correspondingly inserted. The fact that the animal begins to take up food at a conventional teat, until the foodstuff is taken into the mouth by the animal, means that it is distracted by drinking. Only then, for example automatically, are the sensors, temperature sensors, heating elements or the like inserted into or beside the teat in order to determine the corresponding values.
The heating elements used can be, for example, electrical, in particular resilient, elements. However, it has also proven to be advantageous to insert flexible tubes or the like with a heated medium, for example water, into the teat, in order to heat the latter or in particular an area of the temperature sensor.
In the process, heating ducts, chambers or the like, for example, can be cast into the wall of the teat, through which a heated medium flows, for example. In addition, thought is also to be given to acting on the teat from outside, in particular applying heat externally, such as by means of radiant heaters, hot air or the like. This is likewise intended to lie within the scope of the present invention.
The present invention is suitable in particular at suckling points on automatic drinking machines and any desired drinking devices, on water drinking troughs for cold and warm water and liquids with any desired additives, but also as a device for play and to work off the requirement to drink.